The United Nations has urged countries to refrain from imposing Internet shutdowns, citing dire consequences. According to the UN Human Rights Office, if they continue to impose internet shutdowns or disruptions, they will face deadly consequences. According to the report, the Internet shutdowns would have an impact on the lives and human rights of millions of people.
In a new report released recently, the United Nations Office of Rights emphasized how internet shutdowns could affect people in hospitals. “Hospitals are unable to contact their doctors in cases of emergency, voters are being denied information about candidates, handicraft makers are being cut off from customers, and… come, unable to call for help" to some effect when internet and telecommunications services were shut down, he said.
In a statement, UN Human Rights Chief Michelle Bachelet noted that the internet shutdowns are occurring at a time when the digital world has become essential for the realisation of many human rights. He went on to say that shutting down the internet for extended periods of time can cause material and human rights damage.
Shutting down the internet can not only harm the economy, but it can also cause mental distress because it deprives "thousands or even millions of people of their only means of communicating with loved ones, continuing their work, or participating in political debates or decisions."
"Internet shutdowns have emerged as the digital world has grown increasingly important, if not necessary, for the realisation of many human rights." "Turning off the Internet causes incalculable harm, both materially and in terms of human rights," said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet.
"When a government shuts down the internet, both people and economies suffer." "The costs of jobs, education, health care, and political participation almost always outweigh any hoped-for benefits," he added.
The UN Human Rights Office wants to take action against Internet shutdowns as soon as possible.
Notably, India ranks first in the world in terms of internet outages. According to an internet tracker called internetshutdowns, which is maintained by the Software Freedom Law Centre (SFLC), there have been 550 internet shutdowns in India since 2012. Since 2019, more than half of these shutdowns have occurred.
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